Syria rebels freeze negotiations
Damascus: Syria’s main rebel groups say they have frozen their participation in preliminary peace talks planned for Kazakhstan later this month due to several “violations” by the regime of a five-day-old truce. Sources told Al Jazeera the groups were freezing their participation in negotiations being prepared by Russia due to a government-led assault on Wadi Barada, a rebel-held area near Damascus that is key to the capital’s water supply.
China begins to ease 2k old monopoly on salt
Beijing: China has started an overhaul of its salt industry, easing a monopoly that has existed in some form for more than 2,000 years and predates the Great Wall. New regulations went into effect at the start of this year. Under a plan published by China’s State Council last year, government regulators will allow private companies to enter the salt market.
Trump accuses CNN of using his ‘worst’ photo
Washington: US President-elect Donald Trump complained that a prominent television channel used his “worst” picture ever as the cover art for a new book about the 2016 Presidential election. “CNN just released a book called ‘Unprecedented’ which explore the 2016 race & victory. Hope it does well but used worst cover photo of me,” he tweeted.
Nawaz Sharif reviews ties with neighbours
Islamabad: Amid a chill in Indo-Pak ties, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif called a high-level meeting and reviewed the current status of the country’s ties with its neighbours and strategic partners.
British chef dies fighting ISIS in Syria
london: A 20-year-old British chef who had gone to Syria to fight against dreaded Islamic State terrorists has died in the war zone. Ryan lock from Chichester in West Sussex had travelled to join the People’s Defence Units (YPG), the Kurdish military force fighting in northern Syria in August last year. The chef had no military experience.
Thieves steal jewels in Hollywood-style
New York: In a Hollywood-style New Year’s eve robbery, a trio of burglars broke into a Manhattan jewellery store whose owner was away in India and managed to flee with $6 million worth of precious gems. Three hooded and masked men broke into the jewellery store on Sunday while 7,000 policemen were distracted protecting Times Square revelers just a few blocks away. “They laid in wait until the ball ropped,” a law-enforcement source told the New York Post of the heist which appears to be an inside job. The source said the thieves “100 per cent” planned the heist to coincide with the ball drop. They made off with around
$6 million in gems and are still at large, police sources said.
Algerian terror suspect wins right to stay in UK
london: An Algerian terror suspect linked to Osama Bin laden has won his 21-year legal battle to live in UK, with the judge saying the threat of deportation has affected his mental health. The man has defeated repeated UK Government attempts to deport him despite being accused of helping to send young British Muslims to terror training camps abroad, as per British media.